RaiLay

Go to RaiLay during the full moon. It’s great. All the backpackers go to Koh Phangan to dance all night so you’re left with an empty quiet beach at RaiLay.

Having been to many of the best beaches in Thailand I would say RaiLay is one of my favourites. Stunning scenery, powdered white sand and warm clear water make it an awesome location.

Where is RaiLay?

RaiLay is in Krabi province, South Thailand. It’s attached to the mainland but only accessible by boat as the spectacular limestone cliffs prevent roads and tracks from being built.

There are many flights from Bangkok and international destinations to Krabi airport ( 45 minutes, 150 Baht from Ao Nanag). The boat from the nearest town, Ao Nang, takes about 10 minutes and costs 100 Baht per person. Boats arrive from other locations such as Phi Phi and Phuket and buses can bring you there from other locations in the south, or even Bangkok.

 RaiLay East, West or Central?

There are 3 main areas on RaiLay – East, West and Central. Depending on the experience you want you might want to stay in different parts.Luckily you can walk from East to West in about 15 minutes so wherever you stay you have access to all RaiLay has to offer.

The West is the beautiful beach you see in many pictures and has the most expensive resorts and restaurants. Prices for accommodation start at around 2,000 Baht a night but the resorts are great. There is cheap food available on nearby Walking Street as well as good seafood restaurants attached to the resorts.

The East has budget options for eating, drinking and accommodation but no real beach to relax on. This area has a lot more choice for eating and drinking and caters more for backpackers. prices for a room start at 600 Baht but are basic and maybe not in the best surroundings.

The good news is that the central option is only a 10 minute walk to both East and West and is a mid range option. I stayed in the central area at the RaiLay Phutawan Resort. It was around 1,500 Baht a night for a sea and pool view deluxe room. At night you have to walk to find restaurants either 5 minutes to East or 10 minutes to West. 

What can you do on RaiLay?

The most famous activity on RaiLay is rock climbing. It is world famous and many people come just to climb the formidable limestone cliffs. There are many option for beginners and with half day courses starting at around 1,000 Baht per person its good value.

Many people just come to enjoy the beach. The West beach is fantastic. The sunsets into the sea and the water is clear and warm. 3 days relaxing on the beach with ice cold fruit shakes ( 50 baht ) and a good book were perfect to help me forget about work and relax.

If you want to explore the local cliffs rent a kayak and paddle out to sea ( 300 Baht for 2 hours ). You will get some great photos and can explore many interesting areas.

Whilst the snorkeling isn’t spectacular you can still see lots of fish and coral.

There is a small party scene and a few bars but nothing like Phuket, Pattaya and Phangan. As I said go to RaiLay during the full moon and you can avoid the party scene and enjoy quiet nights.

Food and Drink

I was warned before I arrived that RaiLay was maybe the most expensive place in Thailand for food and drink as everything has to be delivered by boat. However, I thought it was reasonable and cheaper than many other places, such as Samui. Maybe the prices are reduced when the backpackers leave – another good reason to go to RaiLay during the full moon!

On East the bars charged around 100-130 for a large local beer. Local food was around 80-120 a plate. Sea food was a uniform price at around 250 Baht+. Burgers, Pizzas etc were cheap at around 100 – 200 baht.

On West the resorts charged expensive prices for food and drink so I went to nearby Walking Street ( nothing like Walking Street Pattaya! ) Food and drink was comparable to East although the quality wasn’t as good I thought.

I was really dissapointed with the quality of the seafood  in RaiLay. I still think if you want the best seafood head to Bang Saen. 

When To Go?

So you might have guessed but I  really recommend that you should go to RaiLay during the full moon as most of the backpackers leave. It is much quieter – the beach had around 100 people on it each day – perfect! The 2 days before until the 2 days after the full moon are the best time. It’s easier to find a room and its much quieter than other times of the month.

If you go during the rest of the month then maybe the beach is busier, rooms are harder to find and it’s a lot noisier at night.

The weather is also a consideration. November – March is peak season which means higher prices but supposedly better weather. I went at the end of October and got a lower rate and only 1 hour of rain the whole time I was there. Even during the rainy season in Thailand you usually only have to hide from the rain for an hour before it ends.

What Is Nearby?

The gateway town of Ao Nang is 10 minutes away by boat but I would recommend staying there just a night to transfer somewhere else as it’s like a slightly nicer Pattaya in terms of the town atmosphere.

If you’re looking for the next beach paradise then most people head to Phi Phi, Phuket or Lanta after staying at RaiLay.